Deceased loved ones drive Henryville woman to fight cancer

Thursday

Oct 14, 2010 at 12:01 AM

Kathy Bilicic, a waitress at Hallet's Cozy Corner in Henryville, lost her husband, friend and dog to cancer in a two-year period. Her losses have set her on a course to raise as much money as she can for cancer research.

CHAD SMITH

The message written on the small poster hanging in the diner seems simple enough: "It's not too late to support me. I will walk 60 miles for breast cancer research and awareness."

But there's a story behind that poster and the diner employee who put it there.

Kathy Bilicic, a waitress at Hallet's Cozy Corner in Henryville, lost her husband, friend and dog to cancer in a two-year period. Her losses have set her on a course to raise as much money as she can for cancer research. The poster, which asks people to sponsor her this weekend as she participates in a major walk in Philadelphia for breast cancer research, is just her latest effort in an attempt to achieve her goal.

"People have been so kind. They say, 'Look, Kathy's at it again,' when they see I'm raising money," said Bilicic, 38, who will walk this weekend in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure, a 60-mile trek around Philadelphia that takes three days to complete.

In 2008, Bilicic lost her husband Joe, 39, to bowel cancer. Joe Bilicic was an English teacher at Pleasant Valley High School in Brodheadsville. The following year, her lifelong friend died of cervical cancer. Most recently, her dog Rio whom she called her "sidekick" also died of the disease.

Kathy Bilicic, who lives in Henryville and works full time at the diner, raised several hundred dollars in 2008 at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, an event at which those affected by cancer take turns walking around a track for 24 hours. She's attended the event several times.

"She's been crusading for a cure ever since things got bad," said Kathi Hallet, owner of the diner.

In June 2010, Bilicic decided she wanted to take her fundraising to the next level. The Susan G. Komen walk, sponsored by the cancer foundation that bears the same name, costs $2,300 to enter. Friends and family helped Bilicic raise the cash, as did patrons at the diner. (Bilicic initially placed an empty jug in the restaurant's lobby with a note attached to it. The note asked for some help for her cause.)

After she raised enough money to enter the walk, she removed the jug but put up a poster alerting people as to how they could still help, if they desired. She wound up raising $1,300 on top of the cancer walk's entrance fee.

"Yes, I'm raising money for breast cancer in this case. But I'm interested in raising money for all cancers. It doesn't matter," said Bilicic, fighting back tears several times. She said she's coping as best she can. She said another of her dogs, a Chocolate Labrador named Jack, helps.

"I've got Jack and I've got everyone here at the diner. And this weekend I'll even have supporters at the walk. It's the only way I'm getting through this."